Machine for producing stake and strand fabrics



Oct. 12 1926.

F. B. RILEY MAGHINEEOR PRODUCING STAKE AND STRAND FABRICS Filed Nov. 22,1924 3 Sheets-Sheet-l w" www F. B. RILEY MACHINE FOR PRODUCING STAKE ANDSTRAND FABRICS Oct. l2 1926.

Filed NOV. 22, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS BL RILEY, OF NEWTON'HIGHLANDS", MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0,HEY-V lt'CGD-XVAKEFIHLD COMPANY,y OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS; ACORPORATION 10F MASSACHUSETTS., i

MACHINE FOR PRODUGING STARE AND STRAND FABRICS.

Applcationzled ANovember 22,; 1924.. Serial No. 751,518.

A further object of the invention is toiprovide a machine for weaving avariable pattern in a stake vand strand fabric of cane, reed, or similaror equivalent material.

With these and other objects in viewT the several features of theinvention rconsist in certain novel features offconstruction,ycombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andclaimed,` the yadvanfL tages of which will be obvious to those skilledin the art from the followingdescription.

lnv the accompanying ,drawings illustrating the preferred-'form of theinvention, Fig. 1 represents a rearI elevation with the framepartiallyin section of a ymachine embodying the features oftheinvention; Fig.

Q is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. v1; Fi g. 3 is adetail illustrating yguiding. shed forming and feeding mechanism withcertain of theparts shown 11i-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; andFigs. 4 and are details illustrating dissimilar vpatterns which may beformedthroughout the length of a given fabric.

According to the present=invention, a. series of longitudinal strandsare received in guide openings which are located y.in relatively closeproximity to shed forming members. v The shed forming members comprise`upper and lowerv reciprocating bars.y each of which is provided With aseries of shed `forming teeth adapted to engage and deflect thelongitudinal stra-nds. The guide member forv they longitudinal strandsis formed in` tivo parts, which are relatively movalile transversely ofthe fabricin a manner to vary the lateialv positionof `prede-vterminedlongitudinal strands with relation tothe shed forming members.the', shed forming mcmbersare actuated to engage and deflectthelongitudinal strands in ditferentplanes` `By virtue of this lateralshifting of the guide members, operat- In addition ingindependently orcoupled with a vertical vshifting of the shed forming members, the

character ofy the pattern. maybe ,varied throughout its length, as Willbe morev particularly pointed out hereinafter. The fab ric after itspassage through the shed forming members -and Athe insertion of a crosslocking stake is lfed longitudinally through yielding feed fingers. c Yy Referring more particularly to the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the machine is provided with side bars 20 and 22,

between which reciprocate upper and lower i heads 24 and 6.Y Each ofthese heads `is provided with a shedrforming member 2S :having a series,of shed forming teethBO formed thereon. thek spacing and configurationof the teeth corresponding to the size lof the strand andthe depth ofthe fabric to be formed.' Positioned iny advance of the shed formingmembers and .cooperating therewith are guide bars 34 and 36, each barbeing provided With a series of openings 38 and 40, indicated in Fig. 1,for the purpose of receiving and guiding successive longitudinalstrands. The guide barsareinde- -pendently mounted fortransverse move,-

42 and 44" boltment in` cross heads ed between the side` bars, asindicated.

`,Each ofthe guide bars is pr'ovided-.fivith aV tongue 46 received in acorrespondingly shaped groove formed by the cross head'and a detachablefront bar 48. A .transverse or lateral shifting movement ofApredetermined extent `is imparted to the guide bars to vary thepositionof-the longitudinal Vstrands With relationto the shed forming members.The shed members are reciprocated at predetermined fintervals to engageand deflect-the strands :by two sets of rotary lcams indicated at 5G and52 respectively. The .cams 50 actuate the lower shed lforrr'iing memberthrough' bell cranks 54 and links 57 connectingithe bell cranks directlywith opposite ends of the shed forminghead. Each ofthe bell cranks isloosely journaled upon a cross shaft' `and-is retained in engagementvvith theI ac-- forming tuating-cam 50 through a `spring158- l Thevupper Vshed forming Amember isreciprocated 1n timed relation torthelower member by the oppositely disposedV cams ,52,'-Which are envgagedbyV levers 60` also journaledupon theV shaft 5G, as indicated inFigs. 1. and 8. The levers GO are connected with rocker arms 62 throughconnectingT rods 611. In addition, the rocker arms are connecteddirectly with the shed forming members through short links 66. Therocker arms are journaled in the opposite ends of a cross shaft G8mounted in the upper portion of the machine frame. ABy referring; moreparticularly to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the projections on theupper and lower shed former actuating' cams vary in height throughout aportion of the circumference of the cams. 1n forming the fabricindicated more iliarticularly in Fig. 5. itwill be observed that anygiven longitudinal st fand is deflected :rst above and then belowsuccessive cross stakes or strands 72. rThis is accomplished by movinglthe shed formingB members toward one another into the same meeting;plane for the formation vof successive shed passages. For this purpose,projections 8O formed upon the upper and lower cams are of uniformheight to impart a movement of uniform extent to the reciprocating shedformino; members'. lf the pattern is to be formed as indicated in Fig. 4with a longitudinal strand S2 extending' lengthwiseI of the fabric in astraight line and a companion strand Sel. deflected successively7 belowand above both the strand 82 and cross locking* strands 86, then themeeting` plane of the shed forming` members is shifted vertically forthe formation of successive shed passages. This is accomplished byproviding; cam projections S6 and 88 formed upon the upper and lowercams respectively, the projections on each cam being; successively highand low andalternatingr with low and high projections on the eooperatinocam. Thisis indicated clearly in Fi 3 where the cams 50 and 52 are shownone behind the other and in register. By virtue of this format-ion ofthe operating' cams, the meeting plane of the shed forminp; members islocated first above the plane of the straight lone'itudinals 82 andnent` below this plane. This method of operating the shed formingmembersproduces a fabric having' the pjencral configuration illustrated in FienLl. In order to secure the proper deflection of the longitudinal strandswith the reciprocating shed forinersit necessary in addition to providefor a relative transverse.movement of the strands and shed forming;teeth. This is conveniently accomplished in the present mechanism byproviding` for a bodily lateral shift of the lonojitudinal strands withrelation to the shed forming;` teeth. By virtue of this lateralshift-iup; of the longitudinal strands,

each longitudinal strand is successively en\ gagred by adjacent shedforminoa teeth to deflect the strand first upwardly and then downwardly,as indicated clearly in Fig. 5.

ln a like manner, this lateral shifting'of the strands in conjunctionwith the vertical shifting,` of the shed formingY members permits oneset of strands to be passed through the shed forming` members withoutdeflection and the second set of strands to be deflected first above andthen below the straight strand, as indicated in Fig. el. The transversemovement of the guide bars 3l; and 36 to shift the longitudinal strandsis imparted by a shifting cam journale-:l upon the side of the machineframe at 92 and having' two cam paths and 9G of iden-- tical shape andcontour formed therein. Each of these cam paths is connected with one ofthe guide men'ibers through arms 9S and respectively. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention, the upper and lower ,guide members aremoved in unison to shift all of the longitudinal strands simultaneouslyin equal amounts. lt will be evident to those skilled in the art,however, that if so desired the cam paths may be made of dissimilarshape to move the upper and lower yguide members in opposite directionsor in unequal amounts to in'ipart a further variation to the fabric.

rlhe shifting` cams are actuated from the main drive shaft 102 through asprocket wheel 1011 driving,r a chain 10G and wheel 108 mounted on theshaft 92. The shed forminoP cams are mounted upon a cross shaft 110,which is continuously rotated from the main drive shaft through adriving pinion 112 meshing' with a larger gear lilmounted upon a shaft11G. This shaft carries a smaller gear 11S, which in turn meshes with agear mounted on the cam shaft 110.

rlfhe fabric is advanced in a lengthwise direction between the formationof successive shed jjiassae'cs by upper and lower feedingT fingers 121and 122. Each set of fingers is inthe form of comb teeth mounted uponthin bars or plates 124 which are f-lidably supported on upper and lowerheads 126 and 128. The heads are mounted upon oppositely disposedswinging arms 130 and 132 pivoted at 134 and 13G. rllhe arms are movedin a direction to feed the fabric by operating levers 135 pivoted uponthe side bars at 137 and engaged by cams 13S. rlhe upper end of eachoperating` lever is provided with a. slot 140, which receives a studprojecting' from the upper feed member 123. The lower feed member isconnected theLeto through a forked extension 14:1, which embraces eachstud in a manner to cause the upper and lower feed combs to move i nunison upon actuation of the ojieratingr levers. The shape of the teeth121 and 122 is such that upon a forward feeding' movement the upper andlower teeth engage behind a cro-1s locking); strand to. feed the fabric7whereas upon rearward movement the feed combs momes;

ment withithe fabric. Coopera-ting withf'the:

feed combsjlQO and .122vare 'a second set of combs.'16(land162xwhich`are fintended to prevent @displacement .of .thelicross locking stranddui-in g `rthe: :feeding movement by' :en` gagingiwi't-hithelongitudinal st 1ands Iin 'ad-.r vance offthe cross locking strand;These-retaining teeth 'are islidablyifmonnted upon the' headsvl-QG and128. f' The .teeth `are i'further.- more provided with blunt roundedends in order toprevent catching uponr the strands during the`retracting lmovement i of f the: :feed combs. From `an `.inspection of:Fig'. 2 of-the drawings,'-it will beobserved-fthat the` feed cams 138are .providedwith camx projections 151 andl?) ofA differentiheightsi-norder. to vary the: feeding movementv throughout `.the length f thefabric. a .Thissvariation lin the. feeding movement betweenythe;formation of successive shed ypassages 1 varies the; :distancebetweeni cross i locking-1 strands `and-modifies the. surface appearancei of the fabric. The feed cams138 are continuously actuated from thegears 120 through-.smaller.ipinionsu164 meshing with gears 166 connectedto the feed cam.. .fr

The cross locking strand may be conveniently inserted by hand after theformation of the shed passage and during the time that the shed-formingmembers are stationary. The cross locking strand is passed through theshed passage from an opening in one of the side bars in a manner whichwillbe evident to those skilled in the art.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that a simple andefficient machine has been provided for the production of stake andstrand fabrics and that the de sign of the machine enables the characterand appearance of the fabric to be materially varied during thecontinuous operation of the machine.

lhile it is preferred to employ the speciiic construction andarrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood thatthis construction and arrangement is not essential except so far asspecified in the claims and may be changed or modified without departingfrom the broader features of the invention.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for producing stake and strand fabrics comprisingcooperating sets of shed forming teeth, moans for reciprocat' ing theteeth toward and from one another at predetermined intervals, means forvarying the meeting plane of the teeth to form successive shed passagesin different planes,

meansil-for eguidinfgga series Vofparallel strandsbetweenvthe teeth tocause the formation: of shed passages betweenthe strands upon engagementby` the lteeth, and means for feeding the fabric after the insertion ofcross strands in theshed. passages thus formed.

2. A machine for producingstake and strand fabrics comprising`cooperatingsets of shed.formingteeth, means for moving the teethf towardand from one,` another, means for` guiding a series of parallelstrandsbetween the teeth, means for relatively-moving theshed: forming`teeth and parallel strands in a lateraldirection,xmeans forrvaryingthe.. meeting plane of theteetlrto form succcsef sive shed passages indifierentplanes, and means for feeding the fabric.

3. .IA machine for .producingk stake-mandk strand' fabrics comprisingcooperating reciprocatory shed lforming members,.= a series Aof shed:forming teethlmonnted upon each` member, a guide member for directing ases ries of parallel strands between :the: shed forming teeth, .meansforv shifting the. guide member laterally between thelformation.ofsuccessive shed. passages, means fcrimiyiiig the meeting planeofthershed forming teeth to form successive shed passagesindifferenthorizontal planes, and means'for feeding the fabric.

t. A machine for. producing'stalle-'and strand fabrics. comprising.;shed 4formi-ng teeth, mea-ns for moving the shed forming teeth towardone another to form a shed opening therebetween, means for guiding aseries of parallel strands between the shed forming teeth, a feedingmember engaging with the fabric beyond the shed forming teeth, and meansfor imparting a variable movement to the feeding member.

5. A machine for producing stake and strand fabrics comprising two setsof shed forming teeth, means for moving the teeth toward and from oneanother in timed relation, means for guiding a series of parallelstrands between the teeth, feed fingers engaging with the fabric beyondthe shed forming teeth, and means for in'iparting a variable movement tothe feed fingersv in timed relation to the movements of the shed formingteeth.

6. A machine for producing stake and strand fabrics comprising twosetsjof shed forming teeth, means for moving the teeth toward oneanother to form a transverse shed opening therebetween, means located inproximity to the teeth for guiding a series of parallel strandstherebetween, means for imparting relative lateral movements to theguiding means and shed forming teeth between the formation of shedopenings1 and means for varying the meeting plane of the teeth in amanner to. deflectpredetermined lengthwise strands and maintainpredetermined strands against deflection.

7. A machine for producing` .stake and strand fabrics comprising'cooperating sets of shed forming teeth, means for moving the teethtoward one another to form a shed opening, therebetween, cooperating`guide members each engaging and guiding a series of parallel lengthwisestrands, means for independentlyv moving` the guide ineinbers laterally,feeding means engaging;l with the. fabric beyond the teeth, andmechanism for actuating the feeding means between the formation of shedopenings.

8. A machine for producing stake and strand fabrics comprising` upperand lower heads extending transversely, a series of shed .'forininl,lteeth mounted upon each head, means for reciprocating' the heads to formsuccessive shed passages between the teeth, a guide member having` ofparallel guide passages formed therein, means for shiftingl the guidemember lateinll.:Y between the formation of shed passages, a feed combadapted to engage with the fabric bevond the shed formingteeth, andmeans for actuatingl the feed comb to feed the fabric between theformation of shed p Sl. A machine for producing` strand fabricscomprising cooperating;A shed fori'ning,l teeth, a guide member havi ci,ries of guide passages positioned in profiimity to the teeth anddesigned to guide parallel strands therebetween, a feed memberpositioned beyond the teeth, and means for actuating` the shed forming'teeth to form successive shed passages in different planes and vary thedeflection of iinedetermined strands throughout the length of thefabric.

10. A machine for producinp` stake and strand fabrics comprising upperand lower heads, a series of shed forming' teeth mounted oireaeh head,means for giiidingg` parallel strands between the teeth, meanspositioned bevond the teeth for feeding the fabric, rotary operating`cams, and connections between the cams and each of the heads forreciprocating the heads in timed relation te form a series of successiveshed pa;- ages in dill'erent planes.

il. A. machine for producing' stalie and strand fabrics comprisingcooperatingl shed forming teeth, means for moving the teeth toward oneanother to form successive shed passages therebetween, means forguiding` a series of parallel strands between the teeth, ripper and lover swinging arms, feed combs snpnorted by the arms and designed toengage with the fabric, and means for actuatthe arms in timed relationwith the formation of the shed passages to feed the fabric between theformation of shed passagesA lln testiniony whereof I have signed my nameto this specification.

FRANCIS B. RILEY.

